Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

PAGE 18 M'olidb/ Stress-Busters itlb Ybuj Ifiok & Feel Ybur Best (MS) - The holidays are certainly a joyous time of year. But face it: Thanksgiving, Christmas, £ Hanukkah, and New Year's can also be some of the more stressful moments on the calendar. According i to the American Psychological Association (APA), f those surveyed in a holiday-stress study list lack of I money (61 percent), the pressures of gift giving (42 1 percent), lack of time (34 percent) and credit card ’ debt (23 percent) as top causes of holiday stress. It is commonly known that stress can affect both physical and mental health . but it can also wreak tfco havoc on one's appearance. Stress-induced head- \ aches can contribute to wrinkling around the jh i brow line and eyes from scrunching the face Hk in pain. Additionally, it can cause a person to |R over- or under-eat, resulting in weight gain ’ and other cosmetic factors like dull hair, which V can put a damper on your holiday party circuit S look. Since the hair is a woman's greatest natural SI accessory, JOICO'S it-list of healthy and effica cious products is the remedy for all her holiday hair woes. In order to feel and look recharged this holiday season - and year-round, for that matter - JOICO, the experts in healthy hair products and technique and Damien Carney, JOICO'S International Artistic Director, offer these solutions to help beat stress. • Schedule time for yourself. Your calendar is probably filled with appointment reminders and to-do lists. Find a time each month where you can simply pencil in a day for recharging. This may entail visiting a spa for a massage or facial, a morning when you get to sleep in, or a day when you can simply catch up on relaxation time in front of the television. If you treat this as an "appointment" like any other, you'll make it a priority within your busy schedule. • Less can be more. You may strive to do everything bigger and better come the holidays (e.g. gourmet meals, home baked desserts, the best light display on the block), but one of the gains to this super-sized mentality may be added stress. Pick a few projects and do them well, realizing you can't Spibolb If 111 Christmas; Seasoni Christmas traditions are as varied as the families who celebrate the holiday. Here's a lode at some popular symbols of the season and how they came to be. Advent calendars: The first calendar counting down to Christmas dates back to the 19th century. People counted down 24 or 25 days until Christmas (with the last day being Christmas Eve or Christmas Day) by using chalk lines to mark off the days. Later on, the tradition of lighting a candle each night was bom. Today, Advent calen dars vary. Some have drawers or doors that are opened every day to reveal a religious icon piece of candy, or you may even find ones with cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse. Candles: The first use of candles at Christmas was in the Roman festival of Saturnalia, where tall tapers of wax were ■ { ' I i'll 111 I 1~~ ’ - f' ' in!? n accomplish people will notice you substituted store-bought biscuits for the homemade variety, guaranteed. • Rethink your hairstyle. Now can be the perfect time to reassess your hairstyle and figure out what is working - or not working - for you. Do you spend hours in the bathroom each morning trying to tame a wild mane of hair? Perhaps you're fed up with limited style options. Set up an appoint ment with your stylist to discuss a look that can shave pre cious minutes off of your beauty routine. Also, take a few moments to repair hair to improve its appearance, which could be all you need to recharge lifeless locks. K-PAK Intense Hydrator, from JOICO is a decadently rich, creamy hydrator clinically proven to restore moisture and strength to even the most desperate heads of hair. It can help combat given as gifts to guests and as an offer ing to Saturn as a symbol of his light. As Christianity spread, candles were placed in the front window of homes to guide the Christ Child as he went from house to house on Christmas Eve. Candy canes: According to the National Confectioners Association, in the 17th century, the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany gave his young sing ers sugar sticks to keep them quiet dur ing ceremonies. In honor of the occasion, he had the candies bent into shepherds' crooks. In 1847, a German-Swedish immi grant decorated a small blue spruce with paper ornaments and candy canes. By the 1900 s, the candy cane got its red and white stripes and peppermint flavors. They were mass produced by the 19505, eliminating the laborious task of making the treat, and thing. every- their popularity spread. Christinas tree: Germans would decorate fir trees, inside and out, with roses, apples and colored paper. The tradition hit England and America via the German immigrants in Pennsylvania in the 1800 s. Of course, a Christmas tree isn't complete without ornaments. Decorating trees dates back to the Victorian times. Woolworths department store sold the first manufactured Christmas tree, and the trend spread. Mistletoe: The Scandinavians thought of mistletoe As a peaceful and harmonious plant. And they linked Frigg, their goddess of love, with mistletoe. The combination of these two schools of thought brought about the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. Those who kissed beneath the mistletoe were O-fY the damage caused by styling appliances, relax .J ers, perms and coloring. Easy, beautiful hair can \ definitely minimize stress levels. \ • Scale back your beauty regimen. Who said ® \ you have to leave the house each day looking like 1 you're made up for the red carpet? Save those time- J consuming makeup tricks for special occasions. On normal days when you're gift shopping or heading to work, keep makeup simple and streamlined. With good foundation to even out skin tone, a dash of color on the cheekbones, some shimmer under the brow and in the crease of your eyes to wake them up, a little mascara, and a touch of lip gloss, you HP can look fresh in 5 minutes or less. Purchase prod- J§jP ucts that also have dual purposes, like JOICO'S r i K-PAK Protect & Shine Serum. This all-in-one tool takes frizz out of your curls, adds shine to long, straight layers and protects the hair cuticle with it's Hf power-packed amino acid complex. I • Get physical. Exercise can do wonders for mood I and appearance. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate [ exercise a day. This gets the blood pumping, fueling -- the entire body with energy. Your skin will glow and your hair can be revived. Plus, exercise will help burn off any extra ralnrips from those holidav narties. orr any extra calories rrom tnose nonuay parties. Few • Have a financial plan. Since a majority of holiday stress is money-related, go into the holiday season with a strict budget in mind. If need be, consult with a financial planner or someone else whom you trust. With a clear plan in mind, you'll know what you can afford and shopping excursions can be less fretful. Plus, you won't be faced with enormous credit card bills come January. By stress-busting prior and during the holidays, you can improve the way you look and feel, and subsequently enjoy these festive times that much more. For more information on hair-care tips, products and information from the experts at JOICO, visit www.joico.com or call I-800-80-JOICO. : /Jo!R syS CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE 2006 .4 , r Hr thought to have happiness and good luck the next year. Stockings: A man was so sad over the death of his wife that he spent all his money. Unfortunately, this habit left his three daughters without money for wed ding dowries. St. Nicholas wanted to help the poor girls' cause, so he anonymously threw three small pouches of gold coins down the chimney of the their home. The coins landed in the stockings of the women, who had hung them by the fireplace to dry.